Thailand (or at least what we have seen of it, being Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and surrounding areas) has a unique character and flavour. And of course, there are a number of idiosyncrasies - large and small – that lend a certain personality to Thailand that makes it what it is:

Dogs and cats are everywhere.

We saw a lot of feral cats in Hawaii, many mangy, but not so many dogs that didn’t have owners. Here, dogs roam the streets, and cats line them. Interestingly, the vast majority of the animals we have seen appear to be well cared for. I don’t know if they belong to owners and are just given free reign, or if there are just that many rats to hunt. But neither the cats nor the dogs appear to be particularly emaciated.Those dogs that obviously belong to people are evidently loved and cared for; a nice treat after what we saw in Hawaii. And thankfully, despite the number of dogs in the streets, I haven’t run into so many “doggie presents” (being poop) on the sidewalks – nowhere near what I would have suspected to have seen.

Speaking of sidewalks…

Sidewalks are more of a nice idea than a practical application.

Sidewalks are a funny thing here, especially in Chiang Mai. If there isn’t a market or bevy of street food vendors parked on the decent sidewalks making them difficult to traverse, then there isn’t much of a sidewalk to begin with. What sidewalks there are will often peter out inexplicably only to reappear again in 20 or 30 meters.Many sidewalks start out at a nice size, but when utility poles, trees, signs, low awnings, and motorcycles occupy space right up the middle, it’s actually easier to walk on the road.

Speaking of roads…

Tuk Tuks, small motorcycles/scooters, and pick-up truck/taxis are everywhere.